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Old Tradition, New Line: Black Line Dancers Create Community in Sacramento

February 23, 2026

In Sacramento, California, two young founders have created Nights in the Valley, a thriving Black-centered line dancing community that meets weekly to preserve and celebrate this cultural tradition. Started just over a year ago by Sumarah Lewis and Quincy Middleton, the group has expanded from 15 participants to regular gatherings of 150-250 dancers who learn both classic and original choreography together. The organization emphasizes accessibility and inclusion, teaching beginners alongside experienced dancers without formal counting methods, which has fostered a welcoming environment where participants find community, confidence, and emotional release.

Who is affected

  • Sumarah Lewis (26-year-old co-founder)
  • Quincy Middleton (33-year-old co-founder and Sacramento DJ)
  • Weekly participants (150-250 attendees on average)
  • Beginners and experienced dancers who attend Wednesday sessions
  • Chelsea Kodama (early member and performance team dancer)
  • The performance team (approximately 15 core members)
  • Black community members in Sacramento seeking cultural spaces
  • Event attendees at festivals, weddings, and corporate events across Northern California

What action is being taken

  • Teaching line dancing every Wednesday night
  • Holding weekly gatherings with 150-250 participants
  • Teaching classic dances, newer online routines, and original choreography
  • Performing at festivals, weddings, corporate events, and community celebrations across Northern California
  • Teaching without counts, focusing instead on direction and rhythm

Why it matters

  • This initiative preserves an important Black cultural tradition with roots extending from West African communal dances through centuries of African American history, where collective dancing served as connection, celebration, and survival. The organization addresses a gap in Sacramento's social landscape by creating an explicitly Black-centered space where the community can gather, build confidence, find therapeutic release, and experience collective joy through shared movement. By emphasizing accessibility and unity over performance, Nights in the Valley ensures the tradition remains inclusive and continues to be passed down to new generations.

What's next

  • Plans to bring line dancing into schools
  • Plans to create more all-ages events to introduce younger generations to the tradition
  • Vision to establish a permanent home at a venue built specifically for Black line dancing and community gathering
  • Continuing to open doors every Wednesday night until a permanent venue is secured

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint